Alicia Keys

Fusing the musical influences of Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder with the training of a classical pianist, Alicia Keys redefined R&B music for a new generation through her soulful vocals and extraor...
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Folk veteran Yusuf Islam is facing a legal battle with bosses of an online design company over allegations he enlisted them to build him a new website, but failed to pay the bill. The musician, formerly known as Cat Stevens, is being sued by executives at A2 Media Corp, the company behind ICON Interactive, which has built websites for stars including Katy Perry and Alicia Keys.
They claim the singer instructed them to rebuild and relaunch his online portal in 2013, but they were never paid for their services.
In the breach of contract lawsuit, which was filed at U.S. District Court in Michigan on Monday (23Feb15), A2 Media Corp chiefs claim Islam owes them $80,000 (£50,000) plus attorney fees.

Rapper Nas made a surprise appearance at the NBA All-Star Game in New York City on Sunday night (15Feb15). The One Mic hitmaker joined Christina Aguilera for a rendition of Jay Z and Alicia Keys' hit New York State of Mind to kick off the annual basketball showdown.

Oscar-nominated civil rights drama Selma and U.S. TV comedy Black-Ish were among the big winners at the 2015 NAACP Image Awards on Friday (06Feb15). The Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic earned director Ava DuVernay the Outstanding Motion Picture prize, while her leading man David Oyelowo took home the best actor honour at the Los Angeles ceremony.
There were also prizes for Selma supporting actors Common and Carmen Ejogo, who portrayed King, Jr.'s wife, Coretta.
Taraji P. Henson was a double winner, walking away as best movie actress for thriller No Good Deed and earning the Entertainer of the Year title.
In the TV categories, Black-ish dominated the comedy section, with event host Anthony Anderson and his onscreen wife Tracee Ellis Ross scoring the top acting accolades, while co-stars Laurence Fishburne and Yara Shahidi won the supporting honours. The programme was also named Outstanding Comedy Series.
Shonda Rhimes' hit shows also emerged victorious, with How to Get Away with Murder landing Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for Viola Davis, and Scandal's Joe Morton and Khandi Alexander earning the supporting acting titles.
Meanwhile, in the music categories, Pharrell Williams was named Outstanding Male Artist and Beyonce took home the female equivalent, as Sam Smith and Mary J. Blige claimed the Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration prize for their hit song Stay With Me.
John Legend's You & I (Nobody in the World) was awarded Outstanding Music Video and new mum Alicia Keys scored Outstanding Song for We Are Here.
Music mogul Clive Davis received the Vanguard Award, in recognition of his work regarding racial and social issues and director Spike Lee was presented with the NAACP President's Award, which celebrates those who have combined career success and public service.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Image Awards celebrates diversity in film, TV, music and literature.

Hip-hop mogul Swizz Beatz surprised his wife Alicia Keys with a House Party cast reunion as part of her weekend birthday celebrations. Guests at his Pajama Jammy Jam included her favourite film's stars Kid 'N Play, Tisha Campell-Martin and A.J. Johnson. Thrilled Keys took to Instagram to tell fans and friends, "My husband surprised me with the craziest party ever!!!!!! Str8 (straight) out of the movie house party!!! He brought the party to me!!"

Music mogul Clive Davis is to be honoured with one of Harvard University's highest accolades. The producer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, who masterminded Janis Joplin, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin's careers, has been named the latest recipient of the Ivy League school's Hasty Pudding Institute Order of the Golden Sphinx award.
Davis will pick up his latest prize at a gala in New York City on 13 April (15).
Last week (ends16Jan15), Amy Poehler and Chris Pratt were named the Hasty Pudding Theatricals' Woman and Man of the Year.

Singer Alicia Keys has welcomed her second child with husband Swizz Beatz.
The No One hitmaker gave birth to son Genesis Ali Dean on Saturday (27Dec14).
Announcing the happy news on Instagram.com on Sunday (28Dec14) with a picture of the newborn's footprints, she writes, "The joy of joy is joy!! It's a boy!! we are so grateful!! blessings!!"
Keys and Beatz are already parents to four-year-old son Egypt, while the hip-hop producer also has three children from previous relationships.
The couple wed in July, 2010.

Pregnant Alicia Keys and her unborn baby received a lucky Christmas kiss from U2 rocker Bono on Christmas Eve. The Irish star, who is still recovering from a bicycle accident in Central Park, New York, was captured on camera stooping to kiss his smiling pal's baby belly and Keys has posted the sweet shot on Instagram. The 33-year-old mother-to-be added the caption: "Baby love from Uncle B ?? Maybe the baby will be our Christmas gift… we’ll let u know?? (sic)."

R&B star Alicia Keys celebrated the impending birth of her second child over the weekend (13-14Dec14) with a baby shower hosted by her producer husband Swizz Beatz. The heavily pregnant singer was joined by family and friends, including the couple's first son Egypt, for the bash. The dad-to-be later shared snaps from the party on Instagram.com.

Rapper Nas and hip-hop moguls Russell Simmons and Kevin Liles joined forces on Saturday (13Dec14) to hit the streets of New York as part of a demonstration against a spate of recent police killings of unarmed black citizens. An estimated 27,000 people took part in the Millions March NYC protest to demand justice over the controversial grand jury decisions not to indict the officers responsible for the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and the killing of Eric Garner, who died in Staten Island, New York after he was placed in a chokehold.
The march also raised awareness about other victims Akair Gurley and Tamir Rice, who were also killed in police encounters in recent months.
Nas and Simmons shared photos from the protest on their Instagram and Twitter pages, while stars including singer Alicia Keys, rapper Nicki Minaj and Sean 'Diddy' Combs shared information about the march on social networking blogs to encourage others to join in.
Similar protests took place in cities such as Washington, D.C., San Francisco, California, and Boston, Massachusetts on Saturday.
The Millions March event took place three days after Simmons teamed up with Jay Z to meet with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to discuss a potential review of the judicial system in the wake of the police killings and controversial grand jury decisions, which have sparked demonstrations across the U.S.

The Roots drummer Questlove has challenged fellow musicians to write protest songs in response to recent U.S. grand jury decisions to clear cops over the deaths of two men. Last month (Nov14) it was ruled police officer Darren Wilson would not be indicted after gunning down teenage thief Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in August (14).
On Wednesday (03Dec14), a grand jury reached a similar conclusion over the case of Eric Garner, who died in July (14) after he was placed in what appeared to be a 'chokehold' by New York officer Daniel Pantaleo as he was arrested for illegally selling cigarettes.
Following the latest ruling, thousands of protesters took to the streets of New York, and many celebrities have echoed their sentiments on social media.
Among them was musician Questlove, who took to Instagram.com to point out contemporary music's lack of political activism.
He wrote, "I urge and challenge musicians and artists alike to push themselves to be a voice of the times that we live in. I'm kinda/sorta addressing the hip hop nation I really apply this challenge to ALL artists. We need new (Bob) Dylans. New Public Enemys. New (Nina) Simones. New (Zack) De La Roachas. New ideas!
"I'm not saying every song gotta be 'Fight The Power' but in times like these we need to be more community minded... I mean real stories. Real narratives. Songs with spirit in them. Songs with solutions. Songs with questions. Protest songs don't have to be boring or non danceable or ready made for the next Olympics. They just have to speak truth...
"My soul is aching man. Seriously just one or two songs that change the course. This is something I feel the need and urgency to put out there."
Stevie Wonder has also spoken out about the controversies, taking time out during a gig in Seattle, Washington on Wednesday to tell the audience, "Can you believe that within one month, two grand juries - secret grand juries - declined to indict two policemen for the killing of two black men? I just don't understand that... I do understand that something is wrong, real wrong. And we as family, Americans, all of us, of all colours, need to fix it with a quickness real soon."

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Played one of the Boatwright sisters opposite Queen Latifah and Sophie Okonedo in film adaptation of "The Secret Life of Bees"

Released fifth album Girl on Fire under RCA

Recorded first song "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)," which appeared on the "Men in Black" soundtrack

Performed an installment of the "MTV Unplugged" series at the Brooklyn Academy of Music; album released as Unplugged

Signed by Clive Davis’ Arista Records

Released debut album Songs in A Minor; earned five Grammy Awards, including ‘Song of the Year’ for "Fallin"

Released sophomore album The Diary of Alicia Keys

Played piano showcases around New York while still in high school

Recorded "Rock Wit U" for the "Shaft" (2000) soundtrack and "Rear View Mirror" for the "Dr. Dolittle 2" (2001) soundtrack

Wrote (also produced) and sang background for Christina Aguilera's song "Impossible" from the album Stripped

Left Arista to sign with Davis’ new label J Records

Released third studio album As I Am

Earned three Grammy nominations, two for her album As I Am and one for her collaboration with Jack White

Signed a demo recording deal with Jermaine Dupri on his So So Def label

Wrote first original song "Butterflyz" at age 14

Co-starred with Scarlett Johansson as Lynette, Johansson's character Annie's best friend in "The Nanny Diaries"

Earned three Grammy nominations for her collaboration with Jay-Z on "Empire State of Mind"

Began playing the piano at the age of seven

Made feature film debut alongside Jeremy Piven and Ryan Reynolds in "Smokin' Aces"

Summary

Fusing the musical influences of Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder with the training of a classical pianist, Alicia Keys redefined R&B music for a new generation through her soulful vocals and extraordinary musicianship. An exceptional singer, songwriter and pianist, Keys' albums <i>Songs in A Minor</i>, <i>The Diary of Alicia Keys</i> and <i>As I Am</i> sold millions of albums worldwide and won numerous awards, including Grammys and American Music Awards. She expanded her range as a performer to include occasional stints as an actor in films like the bloody action movie "Smokin' Aces" (2006) and in the heartfelt drama "The Secret Life of Bees" (2008), alongside fellow recording stars Jennifer Hudson and Queen Latifah. It seemed as if Keys' talent and opportunities knew no bounds when she collaborated with Jack Black on the theme song to the 007 film "Quantum of Solace" (2008), performed with Jay-Z on the chart-topping NYC anthem, "Empire State of Mind," and even directed a segment of the made-for-TV anthology film "Five" (Lifetime, 2011). As she entered the next decade, Keys was unequivocally recognized as one of the most successful recording artists of all time. Blessed with a rare mix of talent, ambition, intelligence and beauty, Keys continually sought out fresh artistic challenges even as she remained one of the strongest female voices in the musical genre she first embraced.